Apparatus for printing on articles such as bottles or the like



March 1, 1966 R. G. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 March '1, 1966 R. e. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 March 1, 1966 R. a. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 mmm mmm March 1, 1966 R. e. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE l6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I Filed Feb. 28, 1964 March 1, 1966 R. e. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING 0N ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 March 1, 1966 R. s. JONES ETAL 3,237,555

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 1, 1966 R. s. JONES ETAL 3,237,555 APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE 16 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 FIGH.

March 1, 1966 R. G. JONES ETAL. 3,237,555

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG.I2. rm F1625.

March 1, 1966 R. ca. JONES ETAL,

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 www m3 March 1, 1966 R JONES ETAL O 3,237,555

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 1O 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 R. G. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE March 1, 1966 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 March 1, 1966 R. G. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING 0N ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 March 1, 1966 R. G. JCJNES ETAL 3,237,555

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 //////4//A m3 F 2n $25 l|!|=| lllHlll U I LL All: i m 2% k mm m3 5m 2 a? 12 k 0mm.

March 1, 1966 R. G. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 14.

March 1, 1966 R. a. JONES ETAL 3,237,555

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 l I 5B:

March 1, 1966 R. G. JONES ETAL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE l6 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 mmw United States Patent 3,237,555 APPARATUS FOR PRINTING 0N ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Robert G. Jones, Sapnlpa, Okla, and Frank E. Winscott, Rock Hill, Mo., assignors to Liberty Glass Company,

Sapulpa, Okla, a corporation of Oklahoma Filed Feb. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 348,144

53 Claims. (Cl. 101-38) This invention relates to printing and more particularly to apparatus for printing on bottles or similar articles.

The invention is especially concerned with a bottle printing machine in which bottles are conveyed one after another to a printing station, at which printing is applied to the bottle by rolling contact, as by means of a stencil (e.g., a silk screen). For example, the bottle is chucked for rotation on its axis and the stencil is moved across the bottle in rolling contact with the bottle. Bottles are generally molded in a two-part mold and, as a result of such molding, have so-called seams extending from their mouth to their bottom in a diametrical plane of the bottle, these seams occurring at the parting lines of the mold. In printing on such bottles, it is desired that the printed matter be applied between the seams, without lapping over either seam. This necessitates that the bottle be presented to the stencil in proper register in relation to the stencil for application of the printing between the seams. This registration is effected by rotating the bottle on its axis to a registered position prior to conveyance of the bottle to the printing station. Also, it may be desired to print in two colors on the bottles, in which case each bottle, after having been printed in one color at a first printing station, is conveyed to a second printing station, where it is printed in the second color. This necessitates that the bottle be presented to the stencil at the second printing station in proper register in relation to that stencil for application of the second printing in register with the first printing.

Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of an improved printing machine of the class above described in which bottles are automatically chucked in bottle carriers on a conveyor, carried through the machine by the conveyor, and automatically unloaded from the bottle carriers and in which each bottle, as it is carried through the machine, is registered and then presented to a printing station, and may be presented to a second printing station for two-color printing, under positive control so that there is no substantial drift of the bottle out of registered position in the course of its travel to the first printing station after registration, or in the course of its travel from the first to the second printing station in the case of two-color printing, without any necessity for a second registration between the first and second printing stations; the provision of a printing machine such as described in which bottles are handled gently to avoid bottle breakage, both in loading and unloading, and Without application of high endwise pressure to the bottles by the chucks of the bottle carriers; the provision of a printing machine such as described adapted for quick and easy change-over to handle bottles of different sizes; and the provision of a printing machine such as described which is reliable in operation and adapted for printing bottles at a rapid rate. Other objects and features Will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

:In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1A is a front elevation of the right half of a machine of this invention, With certain parts omitted;

FIG. 1B is a front elevation of the left half of the Patented Mar. 1, 1966 machine, in continuation of FIG. 1A, with certain parts omitted;

FIG. 1C is an enlarged detail;

FIG. 2A is a rear elevation of that half of the machine shown in FIG. 1A, with certain parts omitted;

FIG. 2B is a rear elevation of that half of machine shown in FIG. 1B, with certain parts omitted;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a bottle carrier of the machine, with parts broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 3, showing parts in a moved position;

FIG. 5 is a left end view of FIG. 3, with parts omitted and parts shown in phantom;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating the loading station of the machine, as viewed from the right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a front elevation of a bottle transfer mechanism used in the machine;

FIG. 9 is a right side elevation of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top plan of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a vertical section taken generally on line 12-12 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 13 (Sheet 9) is a side elevation of a bottle supply conveyor used at the loading station of the machine;

FIG. 14 (Sheet 9) is a left end view of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 (Sheet 10) is a plan view of FIG. 13; with parts broken away;

FIG. 16 (Sheet 11) is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 1A, showing a chuck shifting mechanism of the machine;

FIG. 17 (Sheet 11) is a left side elevation of FIG. 16, with parts broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 18 (Sheet 12) is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line R1 appearing in FIG. 1A, showing mechanism at a first registration station of the machine;

FIG. 19 (Sheet '12) is a detail view taken on line 19-19 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 (Sheet 12) is a right side elevation of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 (Sheet 13) is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 18;

FIG. 22 (Sheet 13) is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 22-22 of FIG. 20, showing mechanism at a second registration station of the machine;

FIG. 23 (Sheet 14) is a plan View of the mechanism at the first and second registration stations;

FIG. 24 (Sheet 14) is a vertical section taken on line 24--24 of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 (Sheet 8) is an enlarged view taken on line 2525 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 26 (Sheet 8) is a vertical section taken generally on line 26-26 of FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 (Sheet 15) is a vertical section taken on the line P1 appearing in FIG. 1A, showing mechanism at a first printing station of the machine;

FIG. 28 (Sheet 16) is a view showing mechanism at the unloading station of the machine;

FIG. 29 (Sheet 16) is a section taken generally on line 29-29 of FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 (Sheet 8) is a cam detail, being an enlarged vertical section taken on line 3030 of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 31 (Sheet 8) is a cam detail, being a vertical section taken on line 3131 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 32 (Sheet 9) is a cam detail, being a vertical section on line 32-32 of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 33 (Sheet 10) is a cam detail, being a vertical section on line 3333 of FIG. 28;

FIG. 34 (Sheet 14) is a cam detail, being a horizontal section on line 3434 of FIG. 2A; and

FIG. 35 (Sheet 14) is a cam detail, being a vertical section taken on line 3535 of FIG. 28.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

ice

FIGS. 1A and 1B should be placed side-by-side with FIG. 1A at the right and FIG. 1B at the left for a front view of the entire length of the machine. FIGS. 2A and 2B should be placed side-by-side with FIG. 2A at the left and FIG. 2B at the right for a rear view of the entire length of the machine. 1

Referring to the drawings, first more particularly to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3, a'bottle printing machine of this invention is shown to comprise a bottle conveyor generally designated 1 having a series of bottle carriers thereon, each generally designated 3, these carriers being spaced at equal intervals along the conveyor. The conveyor comprises a pair of endless chains, each designated 5, which are trained around sprockets 7 .ona horizontal shaft 9 (FIG. 1A) at one end of the apparatus, which may be referred to as its loading end, and around sprockets 11 ona horizontal shaft 13 (FIG. 1B) at the other end of the apparatus, which may be referred to as the unloading end of the apparatus. The conveyor 1 accordingly has an upper horizontal reach, which is its working reach, and a lower horizontal reach, which is its return reach. As will appear, the conveyor 1 is intermittently indexed a distance corresponding to the spacing of the bottle carriers 3, its upper horizontal working reach traveling forward from the loading end of the apparatus toward the unloading end of the apparatus (from right to left as viewed in FIGS. 1A and 1B), and the lower horizontal return reach travelling back from the unloading end to the loading end of the apparatus (from left to right as viewed in FIGS. 1B and 1A).

Each bottle carrier 3 is adapted to hold a bottle B extending transversely above the working reach of the conveyor 1. As each bottle carrier travels up around the sprockets 7 at the loading end of the apparatus and reaches a loading station L at the trailing end of the working reach of the conveyor, a bottle is loaded into the carrier by a transfer mechanism generally designated 15. Each bottle, carried by a respective carrier, is then indexed forward in steps equal to the spacing of the carriers, moving forward with the working reach of the conveyor (from right to left as viewed in FIGS. 1A and 1B).

Each bottle carrier 3 is adapted to convey the bottle B carried thereby to a first registration station R1, which may be referred to as the preliminary registration station, next to a second registration station R2, which may be referred to as the recovery registration station, then to a first printing station P1, then to a second printing station P2, and finally to an unloading station U at the leading (left) end of the upper working reach of the conveyor, where the bottle is unloaded from the carrier by a transfer mechanism generally designated 17. As shown, the preliminary registration station R1 is two steps removed from loading station L, the recovery registration station R2 is one step removed from preliminary registration station R1, the first printing station P1 is three steps removed from the recovery registration station R2, and the second printing station P2 is, for example, six steps removed from thefirst printing station P1. For registration purposes, it is necessary to have a reference index on each bottle, and the particular type of reference index utilized in the machine as herein illus trated is a reference recess or dimple 19 in the peripheral wall of the bottle B adjacent the bottom of the bottle (see FIGS. 19, 26 and 27). This recess 19 is generally located in a radial plane at right angles to the diametrical plane of the bottle seams (see FIGS. 3, 19 and 26).

Sprocket shafts 9 and 13 are journalled in suitable bearings in the base of the machine. The base, which is generally designated 23, includes a pair of spaced-apart parallel channels 25 (see also FIG. 27) extending longitudinally of the machine. These channels are vertically arranged, and have front and rear guides such as indicated at 27 and 29 on their upper and lower flanges for guiding the bottle carriers 3. Each of the front guides 27 has a vertical groove 31 and a horizontal groove 33, and each of the rear guides 29 has a horizontal groove 35 only. The upper working reach of the conveyor 1 travels between the upper front and rear guides 27 and 29, and the lower return reach of the conveyor travels between the lower front and rear guides 27 and 29 (see FIG. 27).

Each bottle carrier 3 (see particularly FIGS. 36) comprises an elongate narrow flat base 37 which extends transversely in respect to the conveyor chains 5, and which is pin-connected to the chains as indicated at 39. The bottle carrier base has divergent lugs 41 at both ends carrying rollers 43 which ride in the horizontal guide grooves 33and 35, and a central lug 45 at its front end carrying a roller 47 which rides in the vertical guide grooves 31. The carrier base is formed with integral spaced-apart parallel flanges 48 extending lengthwise thereof (transversely in respect to conveyor 1) on its outside face and is further formed with an integral headstock 49 at its rear end. This headstock extends outward from the outside face of the carrier base and has a spindle 51 journalled therein for rotation on an axis parallel to the base 37 in the central longitudinal plane of the base 37. Spindle 51 has an integral flange 53 toward its forward end constituting a brake disk and a reduced-diameter forward end extension 55 having an annular peripheral groove 56. Seated in this groove is a spring ring 57. Removably snapped on extension 55 is a bottle bottom chuck 59 of shallow cup shape. This comprises a disk having a narrow peripheral inside-beveled rim 60 defining a shallow circular recess 61 for reception of the bottle bottom, and having a center hole 63 for reception of spindle extension 55, with anannular groove 65 around the center hole for reception of the spring ring 57. The arrangement is such that the chuck 59 may be readily snapped off and replaced by one or another of similar chucks of different bottom diameters. The disk 53 carries a pin 67 received in a hole in the chuck 59 for keying it to the spindle 51.

The spindle 51 is axially slidable as well as rotatable in the headstock 49, and is biased rearward (outward relative to the headstock) by a coil compression spring 69 reacting from the rear of the,headstock against a toothed clutch member 71 pinned on the outer (rear) end of the spindle. The teeth of clutch member 71 face rearward at the outer end of the spindle, surrounding the rear end portion of the spindle. Brake disk 53 has a friction ring 73 on its rear face adapted for frictional engagement with a friction ring 75 on the front (the inside) of the headstock. Normally, these friction rings 73 and 75 are engaged under the bias of spring 69 (see FIG. 4) to brake the spindle 51 and chuck 59 and prevent them from drifting (i.e., from rotating). However, the spindle 51 is movable axially forward (toward the left as viewed in FIG. 4) against the bias of spring 69, with accompanying release of the brake constituted by disk 53 and friction rings 73, 75 to permit rotation of the spindle and chuck (see FIG. 3).

At the front end of the bottle carrier base 37 is a removable tailstock generally designated 77. This corn-- prises an elongate guide block 79 of generally rectangular cross section having a longitudinal T-slot 81 extending from one end thereof to the other at its outside face. This guide block fits in between the flanges 48 of the bottle carrier base 37 and has a hook 83 (see FIG. 3) at its inner end which is hooked around a pin 85 extending between the flanges 48. The guide block 79 has a transverse slot 87 in its front end for reception of another pin 89 extending between the flanges 48. Hook83 is formed to lock the guide against endwise movement along carrier base 3 when the guide block 79 is pressed up against the bottom of pins. 85 and 89, and a coil compression spring 91 pocketed in a recess 93 in the carrier base 37 presses upward on the guide block for such endwise locking of the guide block. However, the guide block may be readily removed by manually pushing it down against the bias of spring 91, which permits the block to be slid rearward, and disengaged from the pins 85 and 89 for removal of the entire tailstock assembly 77 and replacement with another for handling bottles of different sizes.

The tailstock 77 further comprises a pedestal 101 carried by the block 79 for longitudinal adjustment relative thereto, For this purpose, the pedestal has a bottom recess 103 which receives the upper portion of the block 79 with a sliding fit thereon, so that the pedestal may be slid to various positions of axial adjustment on the block. A clamp rod 105 extends through the pedestal (see FIG. 6). This rod has a knob 107 on its outer end, and its inner end is threaded in a T-head clamp 109 which is slidable in the T-slot 81 of the block '79. By turning the knob in one direction, the T-head clamp may be drawn up in the T-slot to lock the pedestal in longitudinally adjusted position, and by turning the knob in the opposite direction, the T-head may be loosened for longitudinal adjustment of the pedestal.

A spindle 111 is axially slidable but nonrotatable in the pedestal 101, having a transverse slot 113 receiving the rod 105. This spindle is biased rearward (inward) by a coil compression spring 115 reacting from the rear (inner) face of the pedestal against a collar 117 on the inner end of the spindle. At the rear (inner) end of the spindle is a bottle mouth chuck 119 of conical form for centering entry into the mouth of a bottle. The tailstock spindle 111 and bottle mouth chuck 119 are coaxial with the bottle bottom chuck 59. The bottle mouth chuck 119 is held in assembly with the tail stock spindle by a screw 121 threaded in the spindle. Toward its front (outer) end, the tailstock spindle 111 has an annular peripheral groove 123, for a purpose to be described.

The sprocket shaft 9 at the loading end of the machine is an idler and the sprocket shaft 13 at the loading end of the apparatus is a drive shaft for the conveyor, being intermittently rotated through such an angle and in such direction as to effect intermittent advance of the upper working reach of the conveyor 1 a distance corresponding to the spacing of the bottle carriers 3 on the conveyor. For this purpose, conveyor drive shaft 13 is directly coupled in line to the output shaft 125 (see FIG. 2B) of roller gear type drive mechanism 127 which effects intermittent rotation of the output shaft 125 through the requisite angle and in the requisite direction. Power to the roller gear drive mechanism is from an electric motor 129 via a belt and pulley drive 131 to a speed reducer 133, the output shaft of the speed reducer being coupled to the input shaft 135 of the roller gear drive mechanism. The latter rotates continuously, and is directly coupled at 137 with a main drive shaft 139 which extends longitudinally of the apparatus at the rear thereof, being journalled in bearings carried by the base of the machine as indicated at 141.

The roller gear drive mechanism 127 is of a known type which comprises a cam 143 on input shaft 135 having a rib 145 (see FIG. 2B). This rib tracks between follower rollers 147 which are journalled on stub shafts 149 extending radially outward from an indexing head 151 on the output shaft 125. The rollers 147 are spaced equiangularly around the head, and the rib 145 is developed to provide for intermittent indexing of the head (and hence the conveyor 1) with dwell intervals between successive indexing steps and with a positive lock of the head (and hence the conveyor 1) during the dwell intervals.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 7-12, the bottle transfer mechanism 15 at the loading station L is shown to comprise a bottle gripper generally designated 153 of forked construction swingable through an arc of 90 about the axis of a horizontal shaft 155 between an upright bottle-receiving or pick-off position and a generally horizontal bottle-chucking position. Shaft 155 is located rearward of the upper reach of the conveyor 1 at the loading station L generally at the level of the chucks of the bottle carrier at station L. Bottles are delivered to the loader 153 by a bottle supply or delivery conveyor 157. As shown, the forked bottle gripper 153 comprises a hub 159 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 155. The latter is journalled in bearings as indicated at 161 in FIGS. 1A and 12. The hub is integrally formed with a pair of tangentially arranged bearings 163 which extend crosswise of the hub and which are spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the diameter of the body of a bottle of largest body diameter to be handled by the machine. A rod 165 of circular cross section is journalled for rotation in each of the bearings 163. The two rods 165 extend outward from the bearings 163 generally tangent to the hub a distance corresponding to the height of the tallest bottle to be handled. These rods constitute the tines of the forked gripper construction. They have upper and lower pairs of gripper arms 167 and 169, the upper pair of arms being adapted to grip the neck of a bottle and the lower pair of arms being adapted to grip the body of a bottle. Each gripper arm has one end formed as a split clamp 173 and has a clamp screw 175 for tightening this clamp end of the arm on the respective rod 165 in appropriately adjusted position axially with respect to the arm 165. Each gripper arm 167 and 169 has a finger 177 of rubber or the like at its outer end for a cushioned grip on a bottle. The rods 165 have a keyway 178 accepting a key in the clamp ends of the arms 167 and 169.

Rods 165 extend completely through the bearings 163 and have inner end portions 179 which project for a short distance out of the bearings. Cranks 181 are fixed on these end portions of the rods. Shaft 155 carries a pair of barrel cams 183. Each crank carries a pair of cam follower rollers 185 which engage opposite sides of the rib of a respective barrel cam 183. The barrel cams are accommodated. in transverse slots 187 in the hub 159. They are designed and oppositely phased to effect counterclockwise rotation of the left-hand rod 165 and clockwise rotation of the right-hand. rod 165 (as viewed from above) when the rods swing to their upright position for gripping a bottle, and to effect clockwise rotation of the left-hand rod 165 and counter-clockwise rotation of the right-hand rod 165 when they have swung down to bottlechucking position for release of the gripper arms from the bottle after it has been chucked. Shaft 155 is driven from the main drive shaft 139 via a drive which comprises a chain and sprocket drive 189 (see FIG. 2A) interconnecting the main drive shaft and. a countershaft 191, and a chain and sprocket drive 193 interconnecting the countershaft and shaft 155.

As previously noted, the forked bottle gripper 153 is swingable through an arc of 90 between its upright bottle pick-off position and its horizontal bottle-chucking position. Mechanism for effecting this oscillation of the bottle loader is shown in FIGS. 7 and 12 to comprise a crank disk 195 on a horizontal shaft 197 extending in longitudinal direction of the machine in front of the main drive shaft 139. Shaft 197 is journalled in a bearing as indicated at 199, and is driven from shaft 139 by a chain and sprocket drive 201 (see also FIG. 2A). The disk 195 has a crank pin 203, and a connecting rod 205 extends between this pin and the hub 159, being connected to the latter as indicated at 207. The arrangement is such as to provide for the requisite 90 oscillation of the bottle gripper 153 on each revolution of the crank disk 195.

The bottle supply conveyor 157 (see particularly FTGS. 1A, 2A, 7, 13, 14 and 15) comprises an endless chain belt 209 trained around sprockets 211 and 213 on sprocket shafts 215 and 217 journalled in a frame generally designated 219. This conveyor is located at the rear of conveyor 1 in a vertical plane at right angles to the vertical plane of conveyor 1 and has an upper horizontal reach 1 a which travels forward in the direction toward the conveyor 1 for conveying bottles to a pick-off position PO, and a lower horizontal return reach. Rods 165 of the bottle gripper 153 straddle the forward end of the belt 209 at the pick-off station PO when the bottle gripper swings up to its upright bottle pick-off position. Bottles are delivered one after another in contiguous relation onto the rearward end of the upper reach of the belt 209 by suitable means (not shown). As the bottles travel forward, they are accelerated by means of a timing screw 221 to become spaced apart for timing their delivery to the pick-off station PO to occur in time with the swing of the bottle gripper 153 to its upright pick-off position.

The timing screw 221 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, extends parallel to belt 209 above and toward one side of the upper reach of belt 209, and has a thread 223 of increasing pitch and radius for effecting spacing of bottles being fed forward by the belt. On the opposite side of belt 209 from the timing screw is a fence 225 for holding bottles in the helical groove 227 of the timing screw. This fence comprises angle end members 228 mounted on blocks 229 and carrying three rails 230 (see particularly FIG. Blocks 229 have tapped holes receiving adjusting screws 23'1 rotatably carried by the frame 219. One of these screws has a handwheel 23 3, and the two screws are interconnected for rotation in unison by means of a chain and sprocket drive 235. By turning the hand- Wheel 233 one way or the other, the fence 225 may be adjusted toward or away from the timing screw 221, remaining parallel to the axis of the latter.

The belt 209 and the timing screw 221 are continuously driven from the countershaft 191 via drive mechanism including a chain and sprocket drive 237 taken off the countershaft 191, and driving a shaft 239 carrying a bevel gear 241. The latter meshes with a bevel gear 243 fixed on a shaft 245 at right angles to shaft 239 connected to the driver element of an overload release clutch 247. A chain and sprocket drive 249 connects the driven element 251 of the clutch 247 and the timing screw 221. Gear 243 meshes with a bevel gear 253 on a shaft 255 in line with shaft 239. A chain and sprocket drive 257 connects shaft 255 and sprocket shaft 215 of belt 209 to drive the latter.

As each of the bottle carriers 3 reaches the loading station L, the respective headstock spindle 51 and assooiated bottle bottom chuck 59 are in their extreme rearward or outer position (their FIG. 4 position), being held in this position by spring 69, and the respective tailstock spindle 111 and associated bottle mouth chuck 119 are also in their extreme rearward or inner position (their FIG. 6 position), being held in this position by the spring 115. The bottle carrier 3 dwells at the loading station L for a brief interval, and during this interval the bottle mouth chuck 1 19 is retracted (i.e., moved out to the left away from its FIG. 6 position) to permit a bottle gripped by the bottle gripper 153 to swing down into chucking position generally coaxial with the chucks, after which the bottle bottom chuck 59 moves forward to its FIG. 3 position for chucking the bottle at its bottom and the bottle mouth chuck 119 moves rearward for chucking the bottle at its mouth. Retraction of the bottle mouth chuck 119 is efiected by means of a reciprocating shifter fork 261 (see FIGS. 3 and 17) which receives the grooved outer end of the tailstock spindle 111 at the loading station L. This shifter fork 261 is reciprocable in transverse direction in relation to the conveyor 1 (axially in relation to the bottle carrier 3 at the loading station), and has upper and lower tines 263 with inwardly directed lips 265 at the rear ends of the tines adapted for engagement in the annular groove 123 at the outer end of the tailstock spindle 111. Mechanism for reciprocating the shifter fork is generally indicated at 267, and comprises a positive-motion plate cam 269 on the shaft 197 (see FIGS. 7 and 12) having a cam groove 271 (see FIG. 31) in one of its faces receiving a cam follower roller 273 on the lower end of a lever 275 pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at 277 on a bracket 279 mounted on the base of the machine. A connecting rod 281 is pin-connected at 283 to the upper end of lever 275 and extends forward to a pin connection at 285 (see FIGS. 16 and 17) with a crank 287 on one end of a rock shaft 239. The latter is journalled in the sides of a bracket 291 of inverted U-shape (see FIG. 16) mounted on the front of the front channel 25 at the loading stat-ion L (see FIG. 1A). This bracket is formed at the top with a gu-ideway 293 for a slide block 295 adapted to slide back and forth in lateral direction with respect to the conveyor 1 at the loading station L. Shifter fork 261 is fastened on the end of a stem 297 adjustably mounted on the slide block 295, the stem having elongate longitudinal slots 299 accepting screw-s 301 threaded in the block. A radial arm 303 fixed on the rock shaft 289 has a universal joint connection at 305 with the slide block. The groove 271 in the plate cam 269 is developed and phased to eifect forward (outward) shift of the shifter fork 261 to retract (pull forward) the tailstock spindle 111 of the bottle carrier 3 at the loading station L just before a bottle is swung down into chucking position, and to return the shifter fork 261 rearward after a bottle has been swung down to chucking posit-ion and before conveyor 1 is indexed to carry the chucked bottle away from the loading station. It will be observed that the nature of the interengagement of the outer grooved end. of the tailstock spindle 111 and the fork 26-1 is such as to allow the end of the spindle to move into the fork and then pass on out of the fork.

Mechanism for shifting the bottle bottom chuck 59 of a bottle carrier 3 at the loading station L is shown to comprise a positive-motion plate cam 307 on the main drive shaft 139 (see FIGS. 2A and 7) having a cam groove 309 in one of its faces receiving a cam follower roller 311 on the lower end of a lever 313 (see FIG. 7) pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at 315 on a pedestal 317. A connecting rod 319 is pin-connected as indicated at 321 to the upper end of lever 313, and has its other end pin-connected as indicated at 323 to the lower end of a rocker arm 325 pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at 327 in a bracket 329 mounted on the rear channel 25. Rocker arm 325 has a head 331 at its upper end for engagement with the rear end of the headstockspindle 51 of the bottle carrier 3 at the loading station L to shift the headstock spindle and the bottle bottom chuck 59 forward against the return bias of spring 69. The groove in the plate cam 307 is developed and phased to effect the forward (inward) shift of the bottle bottom chuck 59 just after a bottle has been swung down to chucking position and before conveyor 1 is indexed to carry the chucked bottle away from the loading station.

After a bottle has been chucked in a bottle carrier 3 at the loading station L, the conveyor 1 is indexed to carry this bottle carrier and the bottle chucked therein forward one step, and on the next successive indexing operation of the conveyor 1, the bottle carrier 3 and the bottle chucked therein are carried to the preliminary registration station R1 (two steps down the line from the loading station L). It will be understood that bottles are chucked in the bottle carriers 3 at the loading station L indiscriminately as regards the angular position of the bottle seams 21 and the reference recess 19. At the preliminary registration station R1, the bottle is rotated on its axis and arrested in a preregistered position wherein its seams 21 are in a generally horizontal plane, the rotation of the bottle being stopped with the bottle in this preregistered position by engagement of a stop finger 333 (see FIGS. 18, 19 and 26) in the reference recess 19 of the bottle when the recess comes around to the top.-

After the bottle has been thus preregistered at station R1, the conveyor 1 is indexed to carry it to the recovery registration station R2 (one step down the line from station R1). At station R2, the bottle is' rotated on its axis to bring the'bottle to its final registered position 

1. APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ARTICLES SUCH AS BOTTLES OR THE LIKE, EACH ARTICLE HAVING A PRINTING REGISTRATION INDEX, COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR, A SERIES OF ARTICLE CARRIED BY THE CONVEYOR SPACED AT EQUAL INTERVALS ALONG THE CONVEYOR, EACH CARRIER HAVING A PAIR OF CHUCKS FOR END-CHUCKING AN ARTICLE THEREIN WITH THE ARTICLE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE CONVEYOR AND ROTATABLE ON ITS AXIS, MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY INDEXING THE CONVEYOR IN STEPS CORRESPONDING TO THE CARRIER SPACING WITH DWELL INTERVALS BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE INDEXING STEPS, SAID CONVEYOR BEING ADAPTED TO CONVEY EACH CARRIER TO A LOADING STATION, A FIRST REGISTRATION STATION, A SECON REGISTRATION STATION, A PRINTING STATION AND AN UNLOADING STATION, THESE STATIONS BEING SPACED ALONG THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE CARRIERS, LOADING MEANS AT THE LOADING STATION FOR CHUCKING AN ARTICLE IN THE CARRIER AT THE LOADING STATION, DURING THE DWELL OF THE CARRIER AT THE LOADING STATION, MEANS AT THE FIRST REGISTRATION STATION FOR DRIVING ONE OF THE CHUCKS OF THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION TO ROTATE THE ARTICLE CHUCKED IN THIS CARRIER ON ITS AXIS DURING THE DWELL OF THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION, MEANS AT THE FIRST REGISTRATION STATION COOPERABLE WITH THE REGISTRATION INDEX ON THE ARTICLE CHUCKED IN THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION TO ARREST THE ROTATION OF SAID ARTICLE WITH THE REGISTRATION INDEX IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION TO EFFECT A PRELIMINARY REGISTRATION OF THE ARTICLE, MEANS AT THE SECOND REGISTRATION STATION FOR DRIVING ONE OF THE CHUCKS OF THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ANGLE FOR ROTATING THE ARTICLE CHUCKED IN THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION THROUGH SAID ANGLE DURING ONE OF THE CHUCKS CARRIER AT THIS STATION TO EFFECT A FINAL REGISTRATION OF THE ARTICLE, MEANS AT THE PRINTING STATION FOR EFFECTING PRINTING ON THE ARTICLE CHUCKED IN THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION DURING THE DWELL OF THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION, AND UNLOADING MEANS AT THE UNLOADING STATION FOR UNLOADING THE ARTICLE FROM THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION DURING THE DWELL OF THE CARRIER AT THIS STATION. 